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(Model.-)

T. G. TURNER.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

Patented Apr. 10,1883.

pwmwon Jma/ IQ WQW yaw/5 WITNESSES UNITED STATES THOMAS G. TURNER,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,440, dated April10, 1885.

Application filed May 10, 1882. (Model) T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Gr. TURNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Switches forElectric Lights; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figuresof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric lamps of thedouble-carbon pattern.

It consists, essentially, .in totally insulating the lower carbon pointsor pencils of doublecarbonlamps,andthen by meansofthemechanismhereinafter described automatically transferring the current from theconsumed to the unconsumed carbon, and in other improvements,all ofwhich will be hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 4 show my invention applied to alamp, andFigs. 2 and 3 are detail views of parts, as will be described.

a c represent the upper carbon pencils, which are both in contact withthe positive wire of the lamp all the time, and each is arranged to befed down to its respective lower carbon as the latter is burned away.The candles a a are held in eyes or sockets formed on the outer ends ofarms a. c. The arms a a have their inner ends provided with eyes orsockets, which slip onto a vertical rod, to, which connects with anysuitable device, whereby it is guided downward. The arms a a and rod aare of ordinary construction, as a feed mechanism for the candles in anelectric lamp.

1) b are the lower carbons, which are insulated in vertical sockets, aswill be described.

0 represents a horizontalshaft, having vertical sockets c c on itsopposite ends. In these sockets the carbons I) b are placed and securedby the thumb-screws 0. These carbons are insulated by being wrapped withpaper or other non-conducting material.

The joint of socket c with shalt-c forms a square shoulder, 0

d is a sleeve placed and sliding on shaft 0. This sleeve is connectedwith the negative wire g of the lamp, as shown.

11 is a coil-spring placed on the shaft 0 and bearing between shoulder cand sleeve (7. This springforces the sleeve 61 and the mechanismconnected thereto toward the carbon 1) when not held, as will bedescribed.

(1 is a vertical arm extended from upper side of sleeve (1.

(Z are spring-plates arranged to stand on either side and clear ofcarbon 1), as shown in Fig. 2, when the several parts are in theposition shown in Fig. 1, and to come in contact with and convey thenegative current to the said carbon in the operation of the invention,as will be described.

(i represents a horizontal connecting-rod extended from the arm d onopposite side from plates (1 as shown. The end of this rod is turned toform a hook, d", as shown.

6 represents a band, formed of wire, metal, or other conductingsubstance. It is passed around the carbon 1) and over the hook d. Whenso desired, a clamp, as shown in the detached view 6, Fig. i, may beprovided and attached on the end of rod (1 embracing the carbon aroundabout two-thirds of its circumference. Such a clamp will make goodcontact so long as the carbon is firm; but when the carbon is consumedto about the point of contact the heat softens it, so that the clampwill not hold, and the spring will make the contact, as will bedescribed. In practice, I prefer to use a ring of wire, which will beburned, as such is cheap and efficient, and a new one may be used witheach carbon. In the use of the clamp a spark will follow it until thecircuit is completed with the opposite carbon. This spark will burn theclamp more or less, and eventually destroy it. The ring of wireis madepreferably as light as will carry the current.

In Fig. 4, I show a lamp in which my invention is used in somewhatmodified form. In this figureI show the carbons properly insulated in abeam,f, from the top of which Iproject a lug,j". Through this lug I forman opening in which works arod connected with the negative wire. One endof this rodis con nected to arm (1, and the spring (I is placed on saidrod and bears between the said arm d and the lug extended from the beam,the whole operating substantially as the construction shown in Fig, 1,which operation I will hereinafter describe.

In Fig.4, as in Fig. 1, I show a spring mounted between the lowercarbons of a double lamp and forming the end of the negative wire, andarranged so it will convey the negative current to one or the other ofthe carbons automatically by means of burning a loop of metal or wire.

In the operation ofmy invention,when the several parts are intheposition shown in Fig.1, if you startthe flow of the currentit willflow to the positive carbons, thence to the lower or negative carbons,I), in contact with the spring, and on to the next lamp or to themachine. Now, as the current flows the carbons are consumed.

In time the lower carbon, 1), will burn down to the ring or band 0, andit, too, will burn away. The spring, being no longer held by the ringover hook (i will carry the plates (1 over against carbon b, thus establishinga new track or path for the current through the fresh pair ofcarbon points, and leaving the old ones entirely out of the circuit.There will be no break of the current while the spring is passing fromone to the other of the carbons, as the arc will follow the recedingband or ring as it is pulled away by the spring, and the are will onlybreak when new contact is established on the new carbon. Then thecurrent will flow in its new channel and desert the old one. The arrowsin Figs. 1 and t show the electric circuit.

It is well understood in practice that the degree of heat necessary toconsume a carbon point is far greater than the degree of heat necessaryto fuse metal. A carbon below the point where it is being consumed willbecome heated to a degree sufliciently high to fuse any metallic band,point, or other device that may be placed around or against it. In myinvention I employ the band or loop 6, which embraces the carbon, asshown. When the carbon is consumed nearly to the loop, the latterbecomes heated and is fused or burned so that it separates and isinstantly drawn from its contact with the carbon by the action of theswitch, and the electric current is thus instantly broken.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-- 1. The combination, with the shaft and thecarbon-holdin g sockets, of a sleeve placed on the shaft and providedwith a vertical arm, the circuit spring-plates and connectingrod, fixedto the vertical arm of the sleeve, the retract ing spring placed on theshaft and bearing against the end of the sleeve, and holder or band 0,substantially as set forth.

2. In an electric lamp, a sliding eircuitcloser placed between twoadjacent candles and provided on one end with means whereby it may bemade fast to and held by one of the candles, and having on its oppositeend circuitclosing plates and means whereby the saidcireuit-closer whenreleased from the first candle is instantly moved and saidcircuit-plates are brought in contact with the second candle,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the candles I) b, placed at a suitable distanceapart and insulated, of the rod (1 the circuit-plates al made fast tothe end of the rod (7?, a movable carrier having the rod (1" and plates(1 supported and carried thereon, the band a, and aretracting-spring,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l. In an electric lamp, the fusible band 0, embracing the candle b andengaged with and holding the movable circuit closer, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS TURNER. Witnesses W. P. BAKER, J. W. MALONE.

